"Is this the legendary cat pianist, Tom?"
Gulagas, bald with a thick orange beard and a large beer belly, looked strikingly similar to the telephone snail's mimicry.
His distillery was on Island 43, not far from the port of Island 44. He brewed some wine himself and also purchased overseas wines.
"That's him. Didn't expect even you to have heard of him," Zhang Da Ye said.
Gulagas laughed heartily: "Haha, it won't be long before this spreads across the Whole Cake Archipelago. Get ready for your tavern to become famous, young man!"
"Hopefully it won't bring trouble," Zhang Da Ye replied. "Is the wine I ordered ready?"
"All here. Check it yourself," Gulagas said, pointing to the carriage behind him.
The carriage, also modified from a bubble car, had excellent shock absorption. Two workers were unloading boxes—mostly bottled wine, with barrels available for long voyages if requested.
Zhang Da Ye checked the list: "Tom, Artoria, help take these to the cellar."
"Little lady, little cat, let me help… these are quite heavy…" Gulagas was shocked as Tom carried a box bigger than himself shakily toward the tavern, while Artoria effortlessly lifted three boxes stacked together. "Thanks, we've got this."
"Hmm…ah," Gulagas stroked his beard. "Seems this little lady isn't ordinary."
"She's the tavern's guard. Don't be fooled by her small frame; she could handle ten of me easily," Zhang Da Ye said, modestly exaggerating. In reality, Artoria could probably take dozens of him without breaking a sweat.
After checking, Zhang Da Ye took Gulagas inside to settle payment. The income over the past few days had halved.
Gulagas looked at the wine prices on the shelves: "Still selling at Old Bob's rates? That's too little. This is a tavern, not a grocery store."
"Really? I thought doubling the purchase price was already high," Zhang Da Ye admitted—he hadn't surveyed other shops before opening.
Gulagas explained: "Your prices are like a grocery or shop selling wine. A 20-30% increase is appropriate for a tavern. Considering you have a cat pianist, a 40% increase isn't too much."
Zhang Da Ye was tempted: "Then why did Old Bob…"
"Maybe he wanted to retire or hasn't updated his pricing in a while," Gulagas guessed.
"…I'll keep a closer eye on it, thanks for the reminder."
"You're welcome. Contact me anytime for wine. We'll go now."
"Not even a drink?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
"Ha, maybe another day. Several other bars need deliveries." Gulagas left with his men.
…
Black Pepper Pan-Seared Sea King Steak
Tomato Stewed Sea King Meat
Crispy Sea King Meat
Garlic Vermicelli Steamed Sea King Meat
Red Wine Roasted Sea King Steak
These were tonight's main dishes, alongside a few vegetarian dishes and a soup carefully simmered by the chef.
Though the dishes didn't glow, Zhang Da Ye and Artoria's eyes almost did.
The three rubbed their hands, picked up utensils, swallowed, and dug in.
"Mm…"
"Mm…"
"Mm…"
"So delicious!"
Whether Tom's skills improved or the Sea King meat was just that good, they couldn't stop once they started. They devoured the food like a whirlwind.
Artoria and Zhang Da Ye restrained themselves slightly, unlike Tom who licked every drop of sauce.
Tom's belly was round again, Artoria clearly unsatisfied, and Zhang Da Ye hadn't gotten to wash plates yet.
"Why do I feel extra full today? Did Tom cook extra?" Zhang Da Ye asked.
Tom shook his head, indicating no big difference.
Artoria sipped tea: "Probably the meat. It seems to strengthen the body—not much, but noticeably more effective than normal food. Eating Sea King meat regularly would benefit you greatly."
"So, we should buy it often?" Zhang Da Ye felt tempted. Becoming stronger faster sounded perfect.
"Exactly," Artoria nodded seriously.
Zhang Da Ye squinted suspiciously: "You're not secretly buying it because it tastes too good, right?"
Artoria's hair tuft twitched as she avoided his gaze: "Absolutely not."
You're guilty, admit it!
Zhang Da Ye was convinced she wanted the meat herself. It was expensive, far pricier than ordinary meat…
Prices had to rise—tavern wine prices must increase, or the already struggling tavern would suffer more.
"Maybe we should just close the tavern and go fishing…"
Of course, he was just venting. He felt the tavern could survive. If things got really tough, they could rely on Artoria capturing a bounty target. Promising three meals a day while expecting others to earn their own food was awkward.
That night, business proceeded at the usual prices. He expected calm, but a few troublemakers arrived.
Three men wore goggles and swaggered like Doflamingo. After eating and drinking, they sauntered toward the exit with hands in pockets.
"Hey, did you forget to pay?" Zhang Da Ye asked, putting down his tray.
"We'll settle later," one said casually.
"No credit for small businesses," Zhang Da Ye blocked their path.
The leader pressed his arm: "Young man, you've been here a short time. Do you know who we are?"
The others laughed along.
"Are you famous?" Zhang Da Ye looked at three ordinary faces, clueless. Perhaps some local thugs?
The three smiled even wider: "No, no, no. Since you don't know us, it's easy."
They bolted.
Zhang Da Ye hadn't reacted yet.
Just as they neared the door, a round rope flew, looping the first man's neck. The top half of his body stopped, while the lower half drew a graceful fan shape, hovered for a second, then slammed to the ground on his back with a thud.